Improvement in triple-cylinder engines



2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

P. BROTHERHOOD.- Triple-Cylinder Engines. No. 145,719. Patented D e.23,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEroE,

PETER BROTHERHOOD, OF NOTTING-HILL, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRIPLE-CYLINDER ENGINES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. l45,719,dated December23, 1873; application led October 20. 1873.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, PETER BROTHERHOOD, of l5, Elgin Road, Notting-Hill,in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented an ImprovedTriple-Cylinder Engine or Pump; and do hereby decla-re that thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheetof drawings hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exactspecification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature andprinciples of my said improvement, by which my invention may bedistinguished from others of a similar class, together with such partsas I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentthat is to say:

This invention relates to an improved construction of triple engines, tobe worked by steam or fluid pressure, for the purpose of obtainingmotive power, engines of similar construction being applicable, whenworked by power, as pumps for exhausting or forcing fluids. Theaccompanying drawings show the manner inwhich these engines areconstructed.

Figure l represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a transversesection, of an engine of the improved construction, adapted for beingworked by steam, or by air, or other fluid, under pressure; and Fig. 3represents a section of the rotary slide-valve, which will be hereafterdescribed.

The engine consists of three cylinders, A1 A2 A3, cast in one, with orhaving their open ends attached to a `central chamber, B, and havingtheir vouter ends closed by covers. The axes of the three cylinders areon one plane, and arranged at equal angles to each other. Each cylinderis fitted with a piston, C1 C2 O3, which is -Inade of considerabledepth, so as to serve as a guide as well as piston, and which may beprovided with packing of any known kind-such assplit rings-as indicatedat c. From the three pistons three connecting-rods, D1 D2 D3, extend toone crank, E, on a shaft, F, which passes through one side of the'central chamber B. One of the connecting-rods, D1, embraces the middleof the crank-pin E. The others, D2 and D3, are each forked, so as toembrace it at two parts on each side of the middle. On the side of thechamber B oppoposite to that through which the shaft F passes is fittedthe rotary slide G, which is a the admission of steam or lluid, and acavity, g1, formed in it for emission. Each of the cylinders A1 A2 A3has, along its side, a passage, c1 a2 a3, opening at the outer end intothe cylinder, and, at the innerend, terminating in a port covered by theslide G. The slide has two projecting ears, h1 and h2, against either ofwhich a pin, c, projecting from the crank, can bear, according as theshaft is intended to rotate in the one direction or the other. A pipe,K, supplies the central chamber B with the steam or other working-fluid;and another pipe, L, serves for discharge of waste steam or lluid afterhaving done its work, the latter pipe communicating with the cavity g1in the slide G. The slide G is fixed on a spindle, M, which passesthrough a stuffing-box, and is provided with a hand-wheel, m, wherebythe slide G can be turned by hand for the purpose of reversing thedirection of rotation.

The action of the engine is as follows: Steam being admitted, by thepipe K, to the chamber B, presses equally on the three pistons, G1 C2 C,but one of these', C1, is equally pressed, on its outer side, by steampassing from the central chamber B through the passage g in the slide G,and the port a1, while the other two pistons, O2 and O3, are relievedfrom pressure on their outer sides, there being a free escape for steamby their ports c2 and a3 and the cavity g1 of the slide to theoutlet-pipe L. The excess of pressure on the two pistons last named,acting through their connectingrods, D2 and D3, on the crank E, impartsrotary motion to the shaft F. As the crank and shaft revolve, the slideG is carried round in the same direction by the pin e against its earh1, and the passage and cavity ofthe slide are thus brought,successively, into communication with the several ports c1 c2 c3, sothat steam is successively admitted to and discharged from the threecylinders in such order as to give continuous rotary movement to thecrank and shaft with nearly uniform power. WVith the slide set asinFigs. 1 and 2, the

site direction. The fluid within the chamberone direction, and in thesame posit-ion, rela.

tively, to the crank.

lt may be readily understood that, instead of steam, other fluid underpressure, such as compressed air, is applicable for driving the engine.Also, it will be readily seen that rotary movement being imparted to theshaft F, the engine will act as a pump for exhausting or forcing fluids.Vhen it is used for pumping water or other incompressible fluid, thepassages in the slide G have to be made so as to give no lap over theports.

Steam or Huid-pressure engines constructed as above described areespecially applicable for driving quickly-moving machines directlywithout the intervention of straps or gearing for multiplying speed, asthey can be driven at a'high velocity with a power nearly uniformthroughout each revolution, and without any fly-wheel. Also, as thefluid pressure 1s always maintained on the inner sides of the pistons,the connecting-rods are always 1n tension, and thus there is no shake inthe eyes by which they are jointed to the crank and the several pistons.Engines of similar construction, somewhat modified in detail, may alsobe employed for giving slow rotary movement with great pressure. Fig. 4Lrepresents a horizontal and Fig. 5 a vertical section of a modified formof the engine applied to work a capstan by hydraulic pressure. ln thiscase the three cylinders Al A2 A3 may be lined with brass or gun-metal,and the pistons C1 C2 C3 packed with cup leathers. The shaft F issteadied in a long bearing, N, and ha-s the capstan-head O fixed to itsupper end, the bodyr of the capstan being steadied by working on theelongated bearing N. rlhe central chamber B may be in this case nearlyiilled with oil, which serves to lubricatc the crank E andconnecting-rods l)l D2 D3, as well as a plate, l?, whereby the slide isworked. It will be seen that the connecting-rods are not jointed to thepistons, but merely rounded at the ends to work in hollows in thepistons. At their other ends they are hollowcd so as to form segmentsbutting against the crankpin, and to prevent them from separating theyare embraced by two rings, el d. The slide (5r is placed outside thechamber D within a casing or jacket, Q, and covers ports communicatingby passages (one of them is shown at c in Fig. 5) with the outer ends ofthe cylinders, respectively. Theinterior of the jacket Q is suppliedwith water from a high cistern or accumulator, or with other liquid,under pressure, by a pipe, K, and the water or liquid,

lwhich revolves with the crank.

after having done its work, is discharged by a pipe, L. rlhe slide Grhas a spindle with a square or polygonal end, or with a round end,fitted with a key or feather into the plate P, In the slide are formedpassages opening successively communication from the jacket Q and fromthe central discharge-pipe L to the several cylinders, so that eachpiston in succession is pressed inward, and continuous rotary motion `isthereby imparted to the crank. It will be seen that the connecting-rodsare in this case always under compression, and therefore they require nojointing to the pistons or crankpin, itV being only necessary that theyshould butt against them. Also, as the capacity of the central chamberundergoes little variation, while the pistons successively advance andrecede, it may be almost entirely filled with oil or other lubricatingliquid, a small airspace being left in its upper part to allow forslight variations in capacity. The slide G, being pressed on by thefluid in the jacket Q, works without leakage against the facing in whichthe ports are formed. Vhen very high pressure is applied, such as wouldrender the working-friction of the slide too great, this friction may bereduced by inverting the supply and dischz rge of Huid, so as to admitthe fluid by the central pipe L, and to discharge it into the jacket Q,and thence by the pipe K, the passages in the slide being arranged tosuit this direction of ow. By this modification the pressure on theslide is only that due to the area exposed at the end of its spindle.rlhis construction of the engine may also be worked by steam or otheriiuids instead of by water-pressure, in which case ordinary packing isemployed for the pistons in place of the cup leathers.

Having thus described the nature of this invention, and the manner ofcarrying the same into practical effect, I claim- 1. The combination ofthe cylinders A, central chamber B, pistons C, crank E, and valve G,controllingthe passages a, substantially as described.

2. The several pistons C and their connecting-rods D, having each anindependent connection with the crank-shaft, in 'combination with thechamber B, a steam supply-pipe, for keeping lthe inner sides of thepistons under pressure,suliistantially as and for the purposes setforth.

3. rlhe rotary slide G, having` the projecting cars h1 h2, and spindlem, in combination with the crank-pin c arranged between the two, andhaving a bearing against either at pleasure, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses this 1st day of September, 1873.l

PETER BROTHERHOOD.

Xl'itnesses (J1-ms. D. ABEL, JNO. P. M. MILLARD.

